Refrigerating apparatus



April 26, 1960 E. c. slMMoNs REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1957 w N INVENTOR.

ida/ard C Sir/Mons BY g ms ATTORNEY und@ .www

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n INVENTOR. "7 4&2 42 J4 Bfdwara' C Simi/01s s Y HIS ATTORN Y REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Edward C. Simmons, Dayton,

Motors Corporation, Delaware Application July 9, 1957, Serial No. 670,673 11 Claims. (Cl. 62-511) Ohio, assigner to General Detroit, Mich., a corporation of capillary supply li-ne is extended -through the interior of I the suction line `to effect the heat transfer, as in Patent 2,760,346, issued August 28, 1956. A soldered connection seals the suction line to the evaporator. In some free-flowing evaporators a mere friction lit of the capillary tube in the evaporator is suicient since it is wholly within theV suction line and the evaporator and there is no likelihood of any escape into the room. However, when there is some restriction to flow through the evaporator, the friction fit of the capillary tube in the evaporator is insufficient to preserve the etliciency of refrigeration and to prevent the refrigerant from by-passing of the major portion of the passages of the evaporator.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, in-

expensive seal of capillary tubing within the evaporator which is easy to install and which readily'receives and effectively seals the capillary tube' in the evaporator to prevent by-passing.

Itis another object of this invention to provide a simple, .improved process for sealing the connection of the capillary tube with the refrigerant evaporator.

It .is another object of this invention to provide' a more economical and eiiicient series type refrigerating system for two compartments in which the rst evaporator is of a plate type and contains two sets of passages, and

the second evaporator is located in another compartment and has its passage connected between the two sets of passages in the first evaporator.'

These and other obiects are attained in the form shown in the drawings in which a T-shaped entrance passageway :nit-ed States arent tem located in a two-compartment refrigerator diagrammatically illustrated;

VFigure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view o a connection embodying my invention taken along the lines 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of another connection embodying my invention, taken along the lines 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the portionI of the evaporator corresponding to the lines 4 4 of Figure 1 prior to the formation of the taper in the entrance' thereof; Y v- Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of Figure 5; i f

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View also corresponding to the lines 4 4, of the same portion of the evaporator showing the operation of forming the taper in the neck portion of the passage; f

Figure 8 is a sectional view along the line Y8 8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view similarl to Figures 4, 5 and 7, also corresponding to the lines 4 4 of Figure l, showing the bushing tted in the tapered passage and the capillary tubing in the process of being inserted into the bushing; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view of the bushing alone.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. l, there is shown a refrigerating system including a sealed motorcompressor unit 20 having an outlet connecting with the condenser 22. The outlet of the condenser 22 is connected to a capillary tube 24. The suction inlet of the compressor 20 is provided with a short' piece of suction tubing 26. The capillary tube 24 extends into and through the suction conduit 28. The suction tube 26 connects and forms a sealed connection with the adjacent end of the Y suction conduit 28 at the same point as the entrance of thecapillary tube 24. The opposite end of the suction conduit or tube 28 fits into and is joined and soldered to the common entrance and exit 30 of the roll bonded plate-type evaporator 32 shown developed in Fig. 1 and formed into a rectangular box in Fig. 2. The common entrance and exit 30 extends into a T-shaped passage aris arranged with a narrow tapered portion beyond the in- 1 tersection from the mouth of the passageway. A -bushing with an enlarged head preceded by a small'shank in turn surrounded and preceded by a longer synthetic rubber sleeve is inserted into the tapered passageway until the head is lodged tightly in the taper. The capillary tube is inserted through the flare-mouth passageway in the head of the bushing until the end expands the sleeve and protrudes beyond the sleeve. The end of the rubber sleeve grips the capillary tube to seal the tube through the gether with the Yrefrigerant tube connections embodying my invention, and a compressor-condenser unit;

Figure 2 is a front view of the' formed evaporating sysrangement34 having a restricted portion 36 of reduced diameter beyond the intersection of the passageway 38 which connects to the combined entrance and exit 430.

The evaporator 32 is made by the roll bonding process disclosed in Patent 2,712,736 issued July 12, 1955. The evaporator includes hydraulically expanded passageways including the aforementioned .passageways 30, 34, 36and 38. To prevent by-passing of the refrigerant between the capillary tube 24 and the adjacent end of the suction tub.- ing 28, I force a sealed bushing 42 within the portion 36. To accomplish this, before the connections are made, a slightly tapered tool 40 is forced through the entrance `30 into the restricted passageway 36 to shape it into a slightly tapered passageway of circular cross-section, shown exaggerated in Figs. 7 and 8. Preferably, the tool 40-has a 0 19" tape providing an included angle of 0 38". The large end, of course, is toward the entrance 30. After the tool 40 is withdrawn, a bushing 42 of the type shown in Fig. 10 is inserted through the entrance 30 into the tapered portion 36 until the rubber sleeve 48 of the bushing lits tightly within the tapered portion 36.

Extending inwardly from the head 44 of the bushing 42 is a straight or tapered shank portion 46 forced into and enlarging a resilient elastic sleeve 48 of an elastomer such as a suitable synthetic rubber such as polymerized chloroprene known as neoprene or butadiene. The greater portion of the sleeve 48 is enlarged by the insertion of the shank 46 therein. lf desired, this sleeve 48 may be bonded to the shank 46. This rubber sleeve 43 VInfanta-, 1Alim 2e, 1,960.

has anormal internal diameter Whieh iS Smaller .than the capillary tube 24. This sleeve 48 extends inwardly beyond the shank 46 a considerable distance for gripping the tube 24, as shown in Fig. 10. The shank 46 enlarges the sleeve 48 sufliciently so that it is slightly larger than the head 44 to tightly t the interior of the passageway 36; The head 44 serves as a stop to limit the squeezing of the sleeve 4S. The sleeve 48 is spaced slightly from the head 44 to provide a space into which the sleeve can owunder compression. The head and shank 44 and 46 are preferably made of some suitable metal such as copper-or aluminum, but if desired, may be made of some suitable plastic. The head 44 is provided with a flared entrance 50 connecting directly with a concentric passageway 52 extending axially through the head and shank 44, `46 of the bushing v42. The head 44 provides a tight sealing engagement with the .adjacent `portion of the tapered passageway36, as shown in Figs. 9. andV .4.

After the bushing 42 is inserted to the position shown in Fig. 9, the capillary tube 24, which may be of vcopper or aluminum, is inserted through the bushingand beyond, as shown in Fig. 4. The dared entrance 50 guides the capillary tube 24 into the passageway 52 within the bushing 42. The'inner end portion of the sleeve 4St3i1tlyV envelopes and VVgrips the capillary tube. 24 while the er1- largcd outer surface of the sleeve 48 tightly fits thepassageway 3 61so as toA provide a seal betweenthecapillary tube 24 and the passageway 36, regardless. of any variations in the size of the capillary tubing24. The. capillary. tubing 24 may have a slight clearance between it and .the passage 52 suicient to provide ease of insertion and threading through the bushing. After this. the. adjacent end of the suction line 28 is sealed tothe ,entrance portion 30 by soldering, to forma hermetic seal.

From the restricted portion 36, the passageway 54 continues and leads to the parallel passageways 56 extending across the top portion of the evaporator when formed as in Fig. 2. These parallel passageways 56 connect to a single passageway 58 extending around the rightside and connecting with the multiple passageways 60 provided in the bottom portion. These multiple passageways 6,0. again connect to a single passageway` 62 which extends through the. bottom portion of the leftside and thence back across the bottom and up the right side to the multiplefpaSS'dge.- wayV 64 in the top connecting with a snglepassageway 66 leading to the second combined exit and entrance 68.

The passageway 66 has `forced therein al` bushing 7,0, simi.- larto thebushing 42 shown nFig. l0. The end POrtiQn of. the .passageway 66is taperediasishown by'thereference V,character-72 in an operation similar to `that illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, so that the outer sur-face of ,the sleeve 7.8 Off the bushing ft) will t tightly the walls ofthepassagef way. 66. The bushing 70 is also provided with a-shank portion 76Whichima'y be straight or tapered, .and which extends into and enlarges one .endof the sleeve 7tlg-orf ref .silient elastic synthetic rubber while the other end extends beyond. Fitted into the bushing 70 is the-end of a liquid tube 80 extending through the coaxial kpassage in thelxead 74 and the shank 76 and beyond the end-of the synthetic rubber sleeve 78, as shown in Fig. 3. `Therubbersleeve 7B has a normal inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the tube 80 for grippingthe tube Sil, Iand an outer diameter'surroundingthe-shank? 6 which is slightly larger than the head 74'.- Thc sleeve 78 will be squeezed between the shank 76 and the walls of the passageway 66 until the head 74 contacts thepassageway 66.

The tube 80 extends out through the'entrance-way 68 through the interior of larger'tubing 82 to aplate-type evaporator 84 having a combined entrance and exit 86 and a loop-shaped passageway 88. This evaporator84 may-also be made by the roll bonding process disclosed in Patent 712,736 issued July Vl2, 1955; The combined exit andentrance is provided with `a tapered passage portion and a'tapering operation and a bushing similar 'to thetaperednassase '72,.and the bushingwshewpinlai The outer tube S2 is joined b y solder at the entrance 86 to the evaporator 84 and at the entrance 68 to the evaporator 32. The liquid refrigerant passing through the passage 66 passes through the liquid tube 80 to the plate evaporator 84 and throughY the passage 88 therein. The liquid tube carries the cold evaporated refrigerant from the plate evaporator 32 as well as any unevaporated liquid refrigerant. Substantially all of the remainingliquid refrigerant will be evaporated in the passage 88 ofth'eplate evaporator 84 andl all the-refrigerant will return through the entrance 86 and the tube 82 to the entrance 68 inthe evaporator 32. The refrigerant within the tubel 82 shields the liquid tube kSi) and its contents ,from the air. This refrigerant then connects to a branch passage 90 extending laterally from the entrance 68 across the top of the evaporator to the accumulator 92 located on the right side thereof. AThis accumulator consists of'a plurality of closely spaced passageways. It serves to collect any liquid refrigerant which may notY have been previously evaporated. It also serves to condense evaporated refrigerant from the plate evaporator 84 during short ld efrosting periods, thereby assisting in the `delrostingoj the plate evaporator 84. The opposite side of the ac ntnnlator is connected bythe passage-.3810 thefentrance ,50?

The evepgrater 3.2V iS located in the upper eemnartrnent of a refrigerator 94, diagrammatically ,shown in Ein L and serves as a freezing compartment. The tubing 80 and S2 extends downwardly to the plateevapor-aten 84- located in the above-freezingfood compartment A96 below the. freezing compartment enclosed by the evaporator'- 32. This refrigerating system is thermally Vefficient and easy to manufacture and assemble by reason-ofthe connection of the plate evaporator 84 between the passages 66 and 9S of the evaporator 32 and by the concentric liquid and gas-carrying concentric tubing and the three sealing bushings provided in the common entrance and exitpassageways.

While the form o f -embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form,V itis to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows.:

1. In a rcfrigerating system, an evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein provided with a common entrance and exit, a suction line connecting with .said common entrance and exit, the initial portion of' said passage within said entrance having a'bushing therein with an enlarged portion in said passage, said bushing having a passage therethrough and la reduced portion extending from said enlarged portion, a liquid tube extending within said suction line through said entrance and isaid passage ingsaid bushingA and protruding from said bushing a substantial distance', anda resilient flexible sleeve enveloping' snugly the reduced portion of said b ushing and the adjacent portion of said liquid tube and tting snugly within said passage for Vsealing lthe liquid tube to the passage in said evaporator, and refrigerant liquefyng meansgfor supplying liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from said suction line. l

2. In a refrigerating system, an evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein provided with Ia common entrance and exit, a suction line connecting with .said common entrance andexit, the initial portion of said passage within said entrance having bushing meanstherein provided with an enlarged portion fitting snugly within said passage and a reduced portion extendingfrom the enlarged portion, said bushing means having a passage extending therethrough and an annular resilient part in said reduced portion, a liquid tube extending withinsaid suction line through said entrance and said passage in said bushing. means and fitting lsnugly within. said resilient part, and refrigerant liquefying means for 'supplying liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from the suction line.

3. In a refrigerating system, an evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein provided with a common entrance and exit, a suction line connecting with said common entrance and exit, the initial portion of said passage within said entrance having bushing means therein provided with an enlarged portion fitting snugly within said passage and a reduced portion extending from the enlarged portion, said bushing means having a passage extending therethrough and an annular resilient part in said reduced portion, `a liquid tube-extending within said suction line through said entrance and said passage in said bushing means and fitting snugly within said resilient part, and refrigerant liquefying means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from the suction line, said bushing means having its resilient part composed of an elastomer.

4. In a refrigerating system, an evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein provided with a common entrance and exit,a suction line connecting with said common entrance and exit, the initial'portion of said passage within said entrance having bushing means therein provided with an enlarged portion fitting snugly within said passage and a reduced portion extending from the enlarged portion, said bushing means having a passage extending therethrough Vand an annular resilient part in said reduced portion, a liquid tube extending within said suction line through said entrance and said passage in said bushing means and fitting snugly within said resilient part, and refrigerant liquefying means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from the suction line, said bushing means having its enlarged portion relatively hard and its resilient part relatively soft and flexible and elastic.

5. In a refrigerating system, an evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein provided with a common entrance and exit, a suction line connecting with said common entrance and exit, the initial portion of said passage within said entrance having bushing means therein provided with an enlarged portion fitting snugly within said passage and a reduced portion extending from the enlarged portion, said bushing means having a passage extending therethrough and an annular resilient part in said reduced portion, a liquid tube extending within said suction line through said entrance and said passage in said bushing means and fitting snugly within said resilient part, and refrigerant liquefying means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from the suction line, said bushing means having its passage provided with a flared mouth.

6. In a refrigerating system, an evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein provided with a common entrance and exit, a suction line connecting with said common entrance and exit, the initial portion of said passage within said entrance having bushing means therein provided with an enlarged portion fitting snugly within said passage and a reduced portion extending from the enlarged portion, said bushing means having a passage extending therethrough and an annular resilient part in said reduced portion, a liquid tube extending within said suction line through said entrance and said passage in said bushing means and fitting snugly within said resilient part, and refrigerant liquefying means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from the suction line, said bushing means having its passage provided with a portion having a metal surface.

7. In a refrigerating system, an evaporator havingl a refrigerant passage therein provided with a common entrance and exit, a suction line connecting with said common entrance and exit, the initial portion of said passage-within -said entrance `having bushing means therein provided withvan enlarged portion fitting snugly with;A

in said passage and a reduced portion extending from the enlarged portion, said bushing means having, a passage extending therethrough and an annular resilient part in said reduced portion, a liquid tube extending within said suction line through said entrance and said passage in said bushing means and fitting snugly within said resilient part, and refrigerant liquefying means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from the suction line, said initial portion of said refrigerant passage being tapered.

8. In a refrigerating system, an evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein provided with a first common entrance and exit, a suction line connecting with said first common entrance and exit, the initial portion of said passage within said entrance having bushing means there.-s in provided with an enlarged portion fitting snugly within said passage anda reduced portion extending from the enlarged portion, said bushing means having a passage extending therethrough and an annular resilient part in said reduced portion, a liquid tube extending within said suction line through said entrance yancl said passage in said bushing means and fitting snugly within ,said resilient part, and refrigerant liquefying means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said liquid, tube and for withdrawing; evaporated refrigerant from the suction line, a second,evapora-l tor having a refrigerantd passage therein havingA a 991315. mon entrance and exit, said first mentioned evaporator being provided with an accumulator passage therein embodied in said refrigerant passage and connecting with said first exit and a second common entrance and exit with said refrigerant passage including a passage extending from said second entrance to said accumulator passage and a passage connection between the initial portion of said refrigerant passage and said second exit, large tubing connecting the exit of said second evaporator to the second common entrance of the first mentioned evaporator, smaller tubing extending within said large tubing connecting the second exit of said first mentioned evaporator and said entrance of said second evaporator.

9. In a refrigerating system, an evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein provided with a first common entrance and exit, a suction line connecting with said first common entrance and exit, the initial portion of said passage within said entrance having bushing means therein provided with an enlarged portion fitting snugly within said passage and a reduced portion extending from the enlarged portion, said bushing means having a passage extending therethrough and an annular resilient part in said reduced portion, a liquid tube extending within said suction line through said entrance and said passage in said bushing means and fitting snugly within said resilient part, and refrigerant liquefying means for supplying liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from the suction line, a second evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein having a common entrance and exit, said first mentioned evaporator being provided with an accumulator passage therein embodied in said refrigerant lpassage and connecting with said first exit and a second common entrance and exit with said refrigerant passage including a passage extending from said second entrance to said accumulator passage and a passage connection between the initial portion of said refrigerant passage and said second exit, large tubing connecting the exit of said second evaporator to the second common entrance of the first mentioned evaporator, smaller-tubing extending within said large tubing connecting the second exit of said first mentioned evaporator and said entrance of said second evaporator, and a bushing insaid second common entrance and exit surrounding said smaller tubing and having a tubular extension of an elastomer snugly fitting and providing a seal with said smaller tubing.

*119; In a regerfatingsystem, an evaporator-having a refrigerant passage therein provided with a first entrance anda firstj exit, al suction line etmneeting-with said exit,b a liquid tube connecting with said entrance, refrigerant liquefying `means for supplyingl liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing `evaporated refrigerant from the suction line, a second'evaporator having a refrigerant passage therein having a common entrance and exit, said first mentioned evaporator being provided with a common second entrance and exit and said refrigerant passage including a passage extending from said common entranceand exit to said rst entrance yand a passage extending from said common entrance and exit to said first exit,v large tubing connecting thevexit of said second evaporator to -the common entrance of said first mentioned evaporator, smaller tubing extending within said llarge tubing connecting the common exit of said first mentioned evaporatorand said common entrance of said second evaporator, and a-bushing in said common entrance and exit of'sad second-evaporator surrounding said smaller tubing and having ra tubular extensionlcomposed of anelastorner snugly fitting and 4providing a kseal with said smaller tubing.

"11:11u arefrigerating system, ang-evaporator having a refrigerant lpassage therein provided with a tiret ventrance and liirst exit,a suction line connecting-with saidlexin a `liquid" tube connecting with -s'aid lentfance, refrigerant liquefyinglmeans for .supplying 'liquid refrigerant to said liquid tube and for withdrawing-evaporated refrigerant S from the snetion line', a vsecond evaporator havingfv-a ne', frigerant passage-therein having va common. entrance and* exit, said'frst .mentionedv evaporator being provided with a common -second entrance and exit and said'l refrigerant passage including a passage extending from said' common entrance and exit to said first entrance and a passage ex,-`

tending from said comnion entrance and exit to said firstY References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PAflEN-Tl'Sv 

